What does “we pour legislation into the senatorial saucer to cool it.” mean?

Hey! I was doing my history homework and one of the questions were... Thomas Jefferson questioned the role of the Senate in the 1790s. George Washington asked Jefferson: “Why did you pour that coffee into your saucer?” “To cool it,” said Jefferson. “Even so,” replied Washington, “we pour legislation into the senatorial saucer to cool it.” What is Washington trying to say about the Senate?


Please help me!


Thank You!|||The Senate was designed to be a slower legislative branch. The House of Representatives was meant to react to the passions of the people and be more populist. While the Senate was designed to moderate the House and provide more long term, well reasoned legislation develop.





So you could say Washington was making an analogy about the coffee representing heated debate coming from the House and cooling in the Senate before the President enjoys a cup of legislation. :) But that might be taking it farther than Washington intended.|||A bill debated upon is apt to be a more thought out one.